‘To be one of the best’

MOISES Fuentes shares the same gym and the same moniker—“Baby-Faced Assassin” —with the legendary Mexican boxer Marco Antonio Barrera. Although both have different styles, he wants to share another aspect that Barrera has achieved through his long and fruitful career – the status of being called one of the best fighters that ever laced boxing gloves from Mexico.

The 26-year-old lanky World Boxing Organization (WBO) mini-flyweight champion hopes to start his path to greatness this Saturday night in a world title fight against WBO light flyweight king Donnie Nietes, the second longest reigning Filipino world champion.

“Fuentes came here to make his own history. A hundred years from now, people in Mexico will still be talking about how he made history in the Philippines,” said Jorge Barrera, Marco Antonio’s brother, who guides Fuentes’ boxing career.

Fuentes is confident that he will capture his second division world title with a rousing victory over one of the Philippines’ best fighters in one of the biggest boxing events in the country this year – “Pinoy Pride XVIII – World Champion vs. World Champion” at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino.

“Donnie is a great fighter. I respect him and it’s an honor to fight him. Each fighter has his own defects and I’ll find out Donnie’s in the ring,” Fuentes said. “I came here well-prepared. I expect Nietes to fall.”

Fuentes, who’s actually 26-1 with 20 knockouts, has trained rigidly for one of the biggest fights of his career. He has logged 138 rounds of sparring in a four-month training camp, which includes sparring against former world champion Edgar Sosa.

“Light flyweight is my original weight. I just went down to fight for a world title.

This is my ideal weight and I’m strong in this weight division,” said Fuentes, who has been campaigning at 105 pounds.

Fuentes already has beaten a Puerto Rican great in Ivan Calderon and he expects to add a Filipino star in his hit list, with one of the best boxers from Mexico cheering him on at ringside.

“The coming of (Marco Antonio) Barrera would be very important because Barrera is a legendary fighter. He is inspiring for Fuentes, who will be a future legend in Mexico,” said trainer Genaro Segura.